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FBR OPEN

February 2, 2007

Billy Mayfair

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA

JOE CHEMYCZ: We welcome Billy Mayfair in, second round 66 today. Billy, just talk about your position for the weekend. You're in second place and in a good spot and your game at this point, and then we'll open it up.
BILLY MAYFAIR: Well, obviously I'm thrilled after not playing very good the last three weeks out on Tour to be here in this position being 10-under after two rounds. I'm thrilled to death.
I got off to a good start today. I made birdies on 2 and 3 and I hit it close on 4 and 5 and missed them and then made birdies on 6. I got off to a good start and just kind of held onto it and made a nice birdie on 13 and then on 15 I missed the fairway right and laid up with a little 7-iron about 86 yards from the hole. I've had that shot many times. I've had it when I've practiced out here, that front pin. I knew I had to keep it just a little bit right of the hole and the ball would try to move to the left a little bit. I wanted to keep it below the hole because from above the hole it's a hard putt. I guess I just hit it 88 yards and spun back a little bit and disappeared.
You know, when that happens, you don't expect that to go in. You're just trying to get it close and try and make a birdie and all that, and when it goes in it's a thrill. Hopefully we'll get a couple more this week, who knows.

Q. What club was that?
BILLY MAYFAIR: A 60 degree, L-wedge or 60-degree wedge.

Q. It's been a while since you've had two pretty solid rounds, hasn't it?
BILLY MAYFAIR: This year, yes.

Q. Was there any indication that this was coming?
BILLY MAYFAIR: Well, I had worked a lot the last couple days here in Phoenix with Dr. Bob Rotella, and I always felt like my hitting and my putting was good. The last three weeks I just wasn't making anything. We made a couple corrections in my eyes and looking at my target more and getting better results and not worrying about if I miss a putt, just going on and hitting the next shot. I think that's helped this week. I did miss some putts today here and there, and obviously I'm thrilled where I'm at, don't get me wrong, but a couple more putts here and there, we'd really be there. When I missed them, I said, okay, we'll just go birdie the next hole. I tried to accept things a lot more.

Q. You've played in this enough times. A throw-stroke lead is not much at all.
BILLY MAYFAIR: No, not when you have the finishing holes here that you have at TPC Scottsdale, specially if the wind starts blowing out of the west and it's downwind, 15, 16, 17 and 1 are all holes that can turn a tournament around real fast.

Q. We've got another former Sun Devil above you on the board. How well have you gotten to know Jeff and his game over the years?
BILLY MAYFAIR: Not very well. Unfortunately Jeff was playing mostly the Nationwide Tour, and the few times he was out here when he got out of school I never got to play a practice round with him at all. He played wonderful last year on the Nationwide Tour and he started off great this year. I think he's got a couple Top 10 finishes and he's right up there.
I think it's really neat to see how these guys are blossoming off the Nationwide Tour. I think it's about time that they do this because this is what the Nationwide Tour is all about. It was to get these young kids, to get them exempt out on this Tour and have them play well out here and they're starting to do that. Charley Hoffman is a great example. He came out this year and won already. It's great to see. I hope an old guy wins every once in a while like myself. I hate saying that, an old guy. But it's good to see these young guys come off the Nationwide Tour and start playing well immediately out here because that's what that Tour is for.

Q. You came really close about 10, 11 years ago, almost won it then. Is this kind of one you would like to get back?
BILLY MAYFAIR: I don't know about getting back. I mean, I was obviously very disappointed. There's probably not a day I don't think about that 18th green and think about when I lost the playoff there to Vijay. Obviously I would love to win this. I don't know if I can say I'd like to get it back. I think I've obviously got a good chance this weekend to win. Obviously winning here in Phoenix would be special with my family here and the Thunderbirds and all that good stuff. Obviously it would be a thrill.

Q. You being so familiar with the Valley, I'm just wondering what your thoughts are on the Super Bowl and the FBR Open kind of clash on the same day next year.
BILLY MAYFAIR: I'm kind of glad the stadium is way over there. When we were here, I think was it -- what year was the Super Bowl here?

Q. '96.
BILLY MAYFAIR: And it wasn't too bad. We did finish on Saturday there, and I understand we are going to finish on Sunday next year here.
Because of where the game is played and where this golf course is at, so far a part, you're still going to have people who are going to go home and watch the game on Sunday and everyone is going to be out here on Saturday. I don't think it'll make too much of a difference. It'll be a lot more media attention here, that's for sure.

Q. What do you think the mood of the city will be?
BILLY MAYFAIR: It will be fantastic. We handled the Fiesta Bowl and the National Championship here wonderfully. It's a great facility, and the Super Bowl will be very happy here, there's no doubt.

Q. Anything strange happen going through 16 today?
BILLY MAYFAIR: Just were very, very loud, a lot of ASU people there. I kind of hit a good shot there and kind of got the crowd going a little bit. I hope I didn't distract my other two playing partners. It's fun. 18 years out here and it gets the old heart still ticking pretty good. It's still fun to do. It'll be going tomorrow, too, I'm sure of that.

End of FastScripts

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